Conventional round balers receive crop and form the crop into compacted bales in a bale forming chamber. There are generally three major cycles in the operation of a round baler: a bale-forming cycle, a bale-wrapping cycle, and a bale-ejecting cycle. A round baler is typically powered and towed by a tractor. A crop pickup picks up material lying on the ground and feeds it to the bale forming belts of the baler to form a bale.
Once the bale forming cycle is complete and the bale fully formed, the towing vehicle may stop and a bale wrapping cycle may begin. For example, once a bale reaches a desired size and/or shape, the operator stops the forward motion of baling belts and stops providing crop to the baler so that a baler can perform wrapping operations. With the forward motion of the baler stopped, mesh, twine, is wrapped around the bale using an automated mechanism associated with the bale chamber.
Once wrapping is complete, a bale ejecting cycle may begin in which the bale chamber is opened, typically by lifting a tailgate, and the wrapped bale falls or is pushed out of the bale chamber. After ejection, the bale forming cycle is restarted for a new bale and the operator once again provides crop to the baler and moves the baler through the field.
Current continuous round balers allow for adjustable speed of a single crop feeding mechanism that funnels crop material into an aligned baler. Such systems, however, have a single conveyor belt that is prone to jam when in operation. The agricultural harvesters of the instant invention provide at least two conveyors, at least one of which being independently movable in both the forward and aft directions. In some embodiments, crop materials can be transiently stored on at least one of the conveyors to reduce speed of feeding crop material into a baling mechanism and prevent jams to the harvesting or baling equipment.